The Wolf Boy
by Mandy Bevers
Summary: Toboe and the gang split up for a week until things settle down some. While in town, Toboe befriends a young lady and becomes very close to her. What will he do when he has to leave her behind?
1. Default Chapter

Chapter 1: The Wolf Boy

Toboe (in wolf form) has caught a bird and is eating it. A young girl sees him and approaches.

"Hello. Are you hungry, Mr. Wolf?" She laughs lightly. "If you come with me, I'm sure I can find something to feed you." She reaches out her hand to pet him. "Oh, my, you're so soft. Mind if I call you Wolfie? Guess it doesn't really matter to you what I name you." She smiles.

She begins walking off into the dim sunlight. Toboe follows. They arrive at a small house that is emptied of people.

"My mom and dad are gone for the week. They left this morning." Toboe whines. "Don't worry. It's not my first time staying alone, you know." She opens up the cabinet. "Mom and dad are always gone. They do work a lot." She pours some cereal in a bowl. "But...well this time it was an illness in the family. My dad's sister is very sick, so they went to see her." She sits the bowl on the floor in front of Toboe. "I hope you like it. It's about all I really have right now. I was on my way to the store when I spotted you." She pets him again and then sits down on the floor, her back against the bottom cabinets. "I've heard stories, about wolves. I don't know if they're true or not, but I like to believe so." She looks off to the side, toward the window. "Wouldn't it be cool if there really were wolves that could turn into humans. I mean, well, you know..." She looks back at him. "I guess what I'm trying to say is..." Toboe looks up from the bowl. "...is that it would be nice to have a friend like that." She looks back up at the window. She looks back at Toboe who is now sitting on the floor not as a wolf, but as a boy. "It is true." She sits forward on her knees with her hands in front of the bowl. "You really are a wolf. What's your name?"

"Toboe, but you can still call me Wolfie if you want to."

"Toboe, huh? That's a great name." She reaches out her hand. "My name's Marina. I thought I should formally introduce myself." He shakes her hand.

"I'm glad that you're not afraid. The last time I...well I sort of scared someone and now I think she hates me."

"I could never hate you. I'm just not that kind of person."

They talked on their way to the store and back. Toboe insisted on carrying as many groceries home for her as he could. He told her almost everything about Tsume, Hige, Kiba and Cheza. He told her about paradise and how he couldn't wait to see it; he just knew it would be beautiful. She invited him to stay as long as he liked and he agreed to stay for a few more days. They became very close in that short time. Toboe couldn't believe how easy it was to make such a great friend and frankly neither could she. Neither had had very many friends in life, but now they had at least one. That was until the day came for Toboe to depart...

They traveled to the place where they first met to say goodbye.

"Toboe, thanks for everything."

"No, I should be thanking you."

"It's alright. I would do it for any of my friends. I hope you find paradise and that it's everything you've ever wanted. Say hi to the others for me too. I'm sure they're all great."

She looks as if she's about to cry and hangs her head down low.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah." A tear tumbles down her cheek. "Toboe, I'll never forget you. Never!"

"I won't forget you either, Marina. You know what. I believe that paradise is found with the one you love. That's when you're truly happy. That's when everything feels all right. I'm sure you'll find your own paradise one day. I...never mind."

"Oh, Toboe..." She runs to him, crying fiercely. "...why can't humans go to paradise? I mean, I guess I'm just being selfish, right?"

"No, I'd like for you to be able to come with me too, but you can't. Besides your family would miss you." She looks up at him, tears still in her eyes. She wraps her arms around his neck and kisses him. From a distance, Tsume watches. He runs to them.

"Toboe, let's go, the others are waiting."

She dries her eyes and smiles. "You must be Tsume. Nice to meet you. Take good care of him for me."

"Let's go, Toboe."

"Bye, Marina."

She waves a final goodbye to him.


	2. Return of the Wolf

Wolf's Rain Fan Fiction Chapter 2: Return of the Wolf 

Written by: Mandy Bevers on: August 25, 2004

Wolf's Rain Chapter 2: Return of the Wolf which continues the story of Toboe and

Marina. Will Toboe and the gang find paradise or will the memory of Marina tear them apart?

Kiba and Cheza were walking hand in hand in an airy forest. The sun crept through the trees, shining light on the wilted path they walked on. Behind them, Hige and Tsume were bickering about some little indifference they have yet again. Bringing up the rear of the group was young Toboe, his head ducked, a solemn look on his face.

Hige looked back at Toboe then turned back to Tsume. With his hands behind his head he nodded back asking, "What's wrong with him?"

"How should I know, I'm not his babysitter," Tsume scowled.

"Ooh, touchy, touchy. Someone must have woke up on the wrong side of the moon this morning."

Tsume turned on Hige, pushing him to the ground. Kiba, Cheza and Toboe stopped. Tsume continued snapping at Hige who was struggling to break free. Kiba finally pulled Tsume off of him.

"Stay out of this," yelled Tsume.

"Guys stop it." Toboe said in a soft and gentle voice. "Why are you always fighting?"

"Why are you always hanging around those stupid humans?"

The face-off had begun.

"What does he mean?" Hige asked in an uncomprehending tone.

"Ask him. Ask him what he was doing with that girl. Go ahead!"

"Toboe..." Kiba's words trailed off as he looked at the young wolf. "What does he mean by that?"

"It was nothing. I didn't do anything wrong." Toboe began crying. He had never felt so weak and defenseless before, but something inside of him said '_it is all right, you have done nothing wrong'_.

"Oh great, now he's going to stand here and waste our time crying." Tsume's face was distressed.

Hige just couldn't keep his mouth shut. "Well, if you hadn't been so mean to him, none of this would have ever happened."

"And what do you know. I saw what happened. He kissed that girl back there in the village. He's probably been with her since we split up. His whole week was probably wasted following her around like some lovesick puppy."

Kiba began to worry about the group and questioned Toboe's judgment. "What are you talking about? You're not making any sense. Who did he kiss?"

"No one. It's none of your business. Tsume, how could you say that about humans, about me? They're nice...it's just that some of them that are bad people."

"Huh, filthy humans don't know what's good for them. They deserve to perish. I can't wait until we find this paradise place, then I won't have to look at another human ever again."

"Tsume..." Toboe couldn't speak anymore. The look on Tsume's face told him that he couldn't win the battle.

Kiba looked at Toboe and said, "Tell me what happened. Did you kiss some girl?"

With a rosy pink blush now covering his cheeks, Toboe could no longer deny what had transpired between he and Marina. "So, what if I did, it's not like any of you haven't kissed a girl before."

"But with us it's different," Hige butted in. "See we kiss other wolves, not humans."

"What difference does it make? Besides, it wasn't me who made the first move. She wanted to kiss me. I don't see the big deal about letting her have one small kiss."

"It doesn't." The group turned to look at Cheza who had remained quiet during the entire fight. "This one knows what Toboe is feeling."

"You do." Wild elation lit Toboe's eyes.

"Yes. This one knows that you were happy to be with her. This one thinks you should be with her if that is what Toboe desires."

Her wispy voice calmed the pack, but tempers soon flared again.

"What do you know. Humans and wolves don't belong together."

"This one does not care. This one only wants you to be happy. If that means that you are with humans then that is what should be."

"Cheza..." Toboe felt another fit of confusion clustering inside his head. He couldn't shake the feeling he had had since meeting Marina. Something was different. He just didn't know what it was. Could it be that he loved her. No, it couldn't be possible, a wolf in love with a human?

"Let's get going. I don't want to waste anymore time." Kiba's voice called to Toboe. '_You can talk to me about it..._'

The group was ready to settle in for the night. Tsume and Hige were fast asleep next to Cheza. Kiba was leaning against a tree watching Toboe. He stood and walked over to him. Squatting down he said, "So, what happened?"

"I was in wolf form right outside of town. She found me eating and invited me back to her house. I followed and when she started talking about how it would be cool to meet a wolf, I sort of...well, I wanted to surprise her. I know it was wrong. I remember what happened the last time I got attached to a human, but she was different. I'm sorry for all the trouble I've caused. I can understand if you don't want me to stick around anymore."

"The only thing I want is for you to do what you feel is right."

"Kiba, do you think we'll ever find paradise?"

"I think you already have." He stood up and walked back toward Cheza. He laid down and fell asleep.

Toboe continued thinking about what Kiba and Cheza had said.

When the morning came, the others rose and looked around. Toboe was nowhere in sight.

"Now what?" Tsume asked in a gruff voice.

"There is no need to worry. This one knows where he is. He is in paradise."

"What? But how?"

"Not that paradise, Tsume, his own paradise. He is with her. Now he will be happy."

(Toboe, in wolf form, is running to his new home...)


End file.
